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Luthervamplord here, bringing you the second edition of First Impressions: Casually Alternate; the first impressions of a player who values the added flavour of alternate formats. In case you missed the first article, I will be reviewing the effect of each card in Casual, 2HG, Tribal and Highlander – but should you want to know my opinion on a card in any other alternate format, I’m more than happy to talk it up afterwards in the provided thread or via email if you aren’t a forum member. I’ve got a big show for you today: All 28 Black cards from Morningtide will be receiving a review in the four different formats listed above. It’s a bit on the long side, so either grab a coffee and settle down or handle this thing in small chunks; that’s my advice.
2HG: This card at first glance doesn’t seem quite right for
this format as he dies far too quickly, but when you consider that he can come
back again and again as long as he goes to the graveyard each time, you soon
realize that it was a misinformed assessment. Tribal: The return ability is slow, but the chances are you
will probably be able to get this guy back on the very next turn, so he’s got
some potential – especially as a beatstick. But I do wonder how he fits into the
Rogue feel of play; he’s just too pro-Aggro. Highlander: Dependency will be the death of this card as
you’ll need to run another card of the right type to get him back, and then that
card needs to avoid the graveyard.
Casual: Creatures every turn after the third is incredibly
powerful; especially when they fly. And the drawback can easily be overcome by
splashing another color or using life drain spells. 2HG: More life to play around with means that you have less
fear of this card’s drawback, but do not let it fool you – left to its own
devices it will kill you off faster then a Darksteel Colossus can ever hope to. Tribal: Prowl rejoice, we have a way to force the issue
again and again! This card will push the Rogues toward a more aggressive stance,
as they now have the power to pull it off. Highlander: A game of time and ponderous turns, this card
could win you the game very early on if drawn in your first three draws, but it
could easily lose you the game if it comes out much later. A mass of flying
1/1’s is very hard to deal with in this format, granted; but recovering from the
life loss is much harder.
2HG: If he had one more point in toughness I could consider
him potential main-deck material for this format, but I feel that he’ll be
relegated to the sideboard as an alternative the Elves in case the opponent is
running a Weenie deck rather then a Burn deck. Tribal: It seems to be a recurring theme in Elf Druids that
they produce mana, and as I look down the list of them I see far better mana
producers for the same cost. He would make a better choice if he could survive a
Shock, but sadly that is not the case. Highlander: Whilst being able to draw upon more mana in
this format is helpful, in all fairness there are more important things you
could do with your two-drop spots – save mana producers for your first drops.
Casual: This card has some great potential as a lockdown
card; three cards is usually more than enough to ruin a Combo player’s day or to
get rid of the rest of an Aggro player’s most troublesome beatsticks. And with a
frame which warrants more than a Shock to deal with, he makes a solid choice as
your own beatstick. 2HG: With his normal casting cost he’s too slow, but with
his prowl cost he’s gold for this format. The fact that the cards aren’t
returned when he dies makes him a real pain to the enemy; just make sure you
pick the right enemy. Tribal: Rarely do you see a Goblin so big without outside
aid; a beatstick pure and true. But even better is the ability to rid the
opponent of those Wrath of Gods and Damnations that he has squirreled away. Highlander: The chances are you won’t get to use the prowl
cost here, but the ability to get rid of three cards in the opponent’s deck is
devastating in a format of one-shot wonders – a beatstick and 1/20 of your
opponent’s deck gone in one fell swoop off of one card is simply amazing.
Casual: Turning lands into creatures has its ups and its
downs – mainly in that it’s easier to untap and kill creatures then lands. To be
honest it’s rather bland, costly and just not something I would choose to play,
though it isn’t without some merit. 2HG: Slow is the word here; far too slow to be of much help
– and most likely to be answered with a board leveler or instant kill effects,
though it being Black saves it from some of the hate. Tribal: I don’t know about most of you guys out there, but
I rarely need more creatures on the field this late into the game when I’m
running Treefolk. I usually have enough big tramplers on the field to dish out
the pain. Still, in a tight pinch it could be of some use. Highlander: Slow yet useful; the games in this format are
usually drawn out affairs, and most creatures have an attack power of two at
best. The only issue I have is the chance that I could lose a land or two if I’m
not careful.
2HG: Anti-token cards are in high demand in this format, as
many decks currently crowd the scene with hundreds of little 1/1 somethings that
just won’t leave you be. When placed on the field, this card will immediately
change the token player’s game plan, forcing him to find a solution before he
starts swinging at you. A great soft lock, for sure. Tribal: I haven’t seen that many ways to add counters
within the Elemental tribes’ cards, but there are a fair few cards with
reinforce – that is what will be used to make this guy an Elemental board
clearer. He’ll be used in place of cards like Wrath and Damnation simply because
he will leave you with at least one creature afterwards. Highlander: Potentially a nasty card to field in this
format, but getting more then one activation or indeed a large number in one go
could prove most difficult. Still, it’s not unusual to see a large percentage of
creatures with only one toughness in this game, so I wouldn’t discount it
straight off.
Casual: As if Casual Goblins weren’t fast enough, this new
Lord has to turn up and increase the speed another notch. Sure he’ll die to the
first thing that takes a fancy to him, but not before my opponent has managed to
drop several more of the pains in the kneecap. Still, card-wise it is a great
improvement over the Lords of old, so give credit where credit is due. 2HG: You want speed; this guy will give it to you by the
pound! I fully expect to see a large number of Goblin decks circulating around
the 2HG scene again; and with just reason I might add. At least there are now
two people to take it out, so it won’t last too long without help. Tribal: I had thought that this tribe couldn’t get any
faster, but it appears yet again that R&D wants to go against the grain. Though
to make matters much more interesting, it supports Rogues as well; a tribe that
could really use the early swings and cheaper drops. Add to that the fact it
affects Tribal spells of the stated types and you see why you’ll want a play set
of these guys. Highlander: Dependency; the one thing you cannot use to
great effect in Highlander, although in the case of Goblins there certainly are
enough to make a reasonable Highlander deck. All the same, it’s not the “done
thing” and I doubt that many people will explore that option.
Casual: Comse Comsa; it has some uses, but in truth I would
expect flash on something like this. Alas, it is not so. 2HG: A Shockable creature that would only really be worth
playing in my second main phase for four mana? Thanks, but I think I’ll pass on
that one! Tribal: Come on guys – prowl, flash, madness – just give me
something to make this guy playable. Alright, maybe I’m being a little bit
harsh, but in truth the card is really not worth a second glance here. Highlander: And now I can make a quick turn around, but
only to point out that to lose a creature in this format is a cruel thing to
happen. What’s better is that this card could tally up with a ping creature or
some other kind of damage source to kill off key component creatures. Still, in
this case I’d have wanted a self-bounce ability, but I guess we can’t have it
all.
Casual: This stops Cantrips, card drawing engines (like
Jalum Tome) and even additional draw effects (Howling Mine), and instead
replaces them with a rather pricy tutoring ability for everyone. End result: One
of the most brutal control cards I have ever seen in my life – top notch Spike
material! 2HG: The lock is no less deadly here then in a 1vs1 match;
the difference is that the enemy will stop at nothing to get rid of this little
lady, and fast. Plus, it might end up hurting you more, especially if the enemy
has made decks that can win off of one another through cross-tactics. Tribal: The Elf tribe was mean before the Lorwyn block
arrived; now it’s just plain evil. With the wide variety of Elf protection
sources, defense buffers and even graveyard manipulation I can see this card
making itself a firm favourite amongst the tribe’s fans. Highlander: This changes a game of “Draw and Go” to “Best
answer to your best answer” – the only thing it really accomplishes is speeding
both parties towards a decisive end as they spend their turns answering their
opponent’s previous actions.
2HG: In this format the card is a piece of Grade A rubbish,
plain and simple. It’s far too slow and by the time you could get any real
result out of it, your opponent has probably already fielded their win
condition. My advice is to ignore it entirely. Tribal: Pretty much the same advice here as in the 2HG
section; this card is far too slow for this format; you should simply ignore it
and move on. Highlander: This format, however, just may run this card.
It’s still slow, and the mana to outcome ratio is still pathetic, but random
discard in Highlander hurts more then letting your two year old cousin play with
your original Bazaar of Baghdad.
Casual: In a format that sees a few indestructible
creatures and plenty of creature removal spells; I am suitably unimpressed by
this card. Sure deathtouch is nice, but having to pay for it every turn is kind
of annoying. I’ll stick to my flying and fearsome creatures, thank you very
much. 2HG: Usable, but not something to hinge a deck on or even
build around. If you find you’re lacking in the attack department then slide a
few in; otherwise just ignore it and you won’t be missing out on much. Tribal: Changeling is what saves this guy here my friends;
he can slide into your existing deck to cover any holes you might have combat
wise and does a reasonable job of it. I expect to see him cropping up in Rogue
decks a lot, as he’ll more than likely go unblocked, and that’s exactly what
they want. Highlander: In this format he changes from a somewhat
mean-spirited creature to a form of soft lock. This card is sporting possibly
the meanest keyword in the entire format and he can trigger off of other
creatures that do rely on a dependency trigger, thanks to Changeling.
Casual: An upgrade upon Lightning Helix in some respects,
the main disadvantage being speed. Off of the prowl cost this card is great, but
if you have to hard cast it then you don’t really get any benefit for your
expended mana. 2HG: A game of speed needs cards that will play fast;
unless you build a deck to this card the likelihood is that it won’t. Having
said that, life gain is a powerful technique in this format, so the card has
some potential in that aspect. Tribal: It’s only ever going to turn up in Rogue decks, but
my god if that’s not bad enough. It works as a six life swing and nets you a
card all in one go for two mana with prowl – could you really ask for anything
more? Highlander: Playable, but slow and the fact that you will
only get to play it once cannot be stressed enough here. It will be considered
as a nice “what if?” card, but in all truth it will serve as padding and nothing
more.
2HG: Twice as many opponents from whom there is a chance to
siphon life versus the fact that this means twice as many chances that a Shock
will find this guy equals a no go on play. Tribal: Alright, now I can say it’s worth a second look, as
with the number of tribal Faerie and Wizard cards flying about you should
trigger this card practically every turn. I still have misgivings about the
toughness here, but I feel the benefits have started to balance it out. Highlander: Do I really need to tell you, the enlightened
public, that this card is not worth the time of day in this format?
Casual: It’s a new Blackmail and a pretty poor one at that.
I have never liked discard cards that give any option to your opponent like this
one – you might as well run Hymn to Tourach or Waking Nightmare and be done with
it. 2HG: No speed, no style; no class and no chance of ever
seeing play. Guys and girls, my advice is to see this card for what it is and to
swiftly move on. Tribal: Rogues make it playable, even making it a fair
comparison to Blackmail on it’s Prowl cost but still; I can’t help but feel that
there are better cards then this for the job. Highlander: Definitely better cards out there, but this
time you might run it just to have another discard card in your deck as the
number of “discard two” cards is relatively low at only 23 cards.
Casual: Graveyard hate is very limited normally, but when
you factor in the creature aspect and the number of combos out there which
revolve around the Evoke mechanic, you can see why this one will be ranked
fairly high on the list. 2HG: Though it has the speed, it doesn’t have the body or
the skill to make any real lasting impression on this format. It will be used as
an accessory card to cripple Reanimation decks and that’s about it. Tribal: This Elemental is on a distinct tangent from its
fellow tribesmen; so I doubt an Elemental player will field this in any serious
manner. But I can see this cropping up as a support card to some of the other
tribes, especially Goblins, Rogues and Zombies. Highlander: In this format, reanimation is scarce so the
need for graveyard hate is even scarcer. As such we need to measure this
creature on his physical merits – a 2/2 flash creature at a cost of three is not
too bad, but I feel I can get something more for my needs with that kind of
cost.
Casual: I see Conspiracy decks making a big comeback all of
a sudden. This card turns creatures into Hypnotic Specters and improves their
fighting capacity. In short, this card is definitely worth a deck concept or
two. 2HG: The discard effect is quick, and when paired up with
some other cards that have come out in Morningtide it becomes pure gold in this
format. Consider if you will the fusion between Bitterblossom and this card for
just a moment. Tribal: It is now official; Fairies are the new big-bad on
the Tribal scene. Mass discard is in itself far more powerful then a handful of
counterspells, and this guy has made sure you will drastically change the flow
and tempo of your opponent’s game plan. Highlander: If it depends upon another card, it is just not
suitable for this format – it’s as simple as that. Maybe if the ability worked
for him as well then I could be kinder, but since it doesn’t I’m afraid this
card is not worth the play. Period.
2HG: Similar issue here; if your deck is Tribal in flavour
or at least has a band of creatures belonging to the same type then play this.
If not then I suggest looking at other cards for this function. Tribal: Fairies, Goblins, Zombies, Clerics, Thrulls,
Vampires and any number of the Black tribes will run a few of these in the main
deck, and I also suggest that some other clans might just splash a bit of Black
in to utilize cards like this. Highlander: Referring back to any number of my answers in
regards to dependency: steer clear at all cost. Whilst this card may be of some
use to some people out there, Last Gasp and Sudden Death are far better options
here.
Casual: Black’s alternative to Raging Goblin fails to make
the par on its own. Fear is not nearly as powerful as some people would like to
believe and I’m sure we can all agree that flying is far more powerful. Still,
as one-drops go it’s not too bad, so it might be of some use to someone out
there. 2HG: Twice as many chances that this card will get blocked
with no way to fight back against that fact. In short, it is simply not 2HG
material and will be used purely to make up numbers. Tribal: Run Raging Goblin, and then throw this guy in if
you have some space going in your deck, although I still believe the space could
be better used with cards such as Tar Pitch or Fodder Launch. Highlander: The number of creatures that can block this guy
are far less in this format, so he’s actually a good choice. Consider it this
way; if the opponent doesn’t field a Black or artifact creature, it’s a twenty
turn clock at the very least.
Casual: A discard of one card at the cost of two mana is
about right, but two cards for two mana is far better. Having said that, I don’t
like revealing anything to my opponent if I can help it, but that’s just me. 2HG: Revealing a card to one opponent is bad, but revealing
to two is bordering on dangerous. It means two times the chance of your deck
being manipulated or players keeping a hold of an answer to your next action. Tribal: No real effect here, it’s simply another card in a
long list of discard cards and there are better options out there. Highlander: Clash has another use in Highlander; it allows
you to avoid drawing into a card you simply can’t play for your next turn or
ensure that it’s something you want. Discard is deadly in this format and the
ability to get rid of 1/30th of your opponent’s deck is something that may
attract some players to it.
Casual: Repeatable creature retrieval is quite attractive,
and I’m sure that there are people out there who could find a use for this –
especially fans of Isochron Scepter. Still not taken on the idea of clash, but
it is a powerful card despite this. 2HG: Same issue as with Pulling Teeth; the chance that
clash will work against you is far too great. Tribal: Black tribes seem to be getting some very helpful
cards in this block; the chance to pull back the key creatures in your game plan
repeatedly is indeed the stuff of Tribal flavour. Highlander: Pure gold. The chance to retrieve the creatures
in a deck of one-shots practically every time is indeed a great card – just hope
the clash goes your way.
2HG: More potential here, simply because you will more than
likely have creatures in the graveyard to spend on this kind of ability –
whether they are the right type and whether you couldn’t make better use of them
are the two big questions you need to ask yourself before using this card
though. Tribal: On first glance I had considered an Assassin deck
to be unwieldy, but they have a great potential for board control – this card
will see the first few Assassin decks on the scene through to the public domain. Highlander: You will get bored of me saying this, but
dependency ruins the format; avoid it at all costs. This card is not useful
here, use Royal Assassin or Nekrataal instead.
Casual: Were you to switch the power and toughness of this
creature, he’d be a great card, but as he stands I just can’t see this card
being of much use. Even if you took burn cards out of the equation, all but the
smallest stat reducers would ride your opponent of this annoyance. 2HG: You reveal the card to two opponents, meaning two
chances at this card being burned, killed or buffered out of the game, and twice
as many chances that you will have your deck violated for your troubles. In
short, my advice is to skip over this card unless you can pack some serious
protection into your deck. Tribal: Goblins may be able to defend this guy from harm,
but they really don’t need discard as much as they need brute power. Shamans
will have a harder time defending this guy but could benefit more from the
discard aspect as a form of control. Highlander: Kinship is a form of dependency and we all know
what I’m about to follow up with – Highlander and dependency simply do not mix.
And when you consider a creature with a 3/2 body for four mana, you soon realize
it’s just not for this format at all.
Casual: A big creature for very little mana is always a
nice thing; but the fact I have to include a Goblin might not be. Having said
that, it’s entirely possible to get around this with creature type manipulation
and Changeling, but still I feel more than put out by that. 2HG: This guy is a very fast beatstick and needs less work
then some of the favoured creatures of this format, but it also is easier to
deal with, so I am torn on this guy. In the end, a 6/5 flying creature on turn
three or four is just too good a chance to pass up. Tribal: Elemental players won’t even look at this guy, but
a Goblin player might add a couple of these to their sideboard or even their
main deck as their chosen tribe is seriously lacking flyers and this guy is a
great specimen by any standards. Highlander: Yet again, dependency has no place in this
format; leave it alone.
Casual: Unholy strength for attacking Rogue creatures is a
nice ability, but in all fairness is less helpful than you might initially
believe; after all, burn players can always kill your creatures before they
attack and so they can be dealt with swiftly. 2HG: Whilst extra damage is nice in a format where you have
to deal with forty points of life, I’d still prefer a static increase like
Gaea’s Anthem. Tribal: I’m just waiting for a Rogue which grants trample
or a shadow-like effect and I will switch my allegiance. Rogues have some
seriously powerful effects and with this they can now handle an out and out
combat fight with the best of them. Highlander: You know what I’m going to say, you are
probably bored of reading it by now but just in case you skipped past the
previous reviews – dependency of any nature has no place in Highlander, end of
story.
2HG: A fifth turn kill spell just won’t cut it in this fast
pace format unless you intend to play a serious stall tactic, and even then I’d
suggest many other cards over this one. Tribal: Where is my prowl cost R&D? If it had that on it
then I’d run it main deck, but since I find it lacking I feel this card will be
relegate to the sideboard. Highlander: This format does generally go into the higher
range of turns, so it’s a possibility that you could make use of this card and
indeed I suspect that people will throw this card into their deck; but I doubt
I’ll be one of them.
Casual: Cruel Edict with a twist, this card could be used
as a means to control your opponent’s creature count or increase your own. In
short, I like it. 2HG: Cards with two functions are of great use here, and
the fact you can use this to hinder or help makes it a great utility card to
have in your deck. Tribal: Goblins now have the means to fight back against
the more powerful tribes, either in numbers or by dwindling the enemies’
numbers. Main deck material; a play set of four is something you can almost
guarantee of the Goblin decks for the near future. Highlander: The sacrifice ability is mean, and the speed at
which it could be played is indeed a nice aspect for this format, but the fact
you can only get one means you can’t rely upon that early play.
Casual: A weenie-killer each turn, useful for getting rid
of the opponent’s Birds of Paradise and Llanowar Elves, it’s just a shame it
won’t see play until the late game. 2HG: Far, far too slow to be of any real use; it will take
a creative player or a powerful stall tactic to get this guy into play in time
to make any real benefit of him. Tribal: Again I have to say that by the fifth turn I’ve
already got what I need to win the game in most cases with a Treefolk deck, and
then when you consider that I won’t see the effect till the following turn - I
feel I can leave this guy out. Highlander: Just within the playable range of this format’s
style, this card could actually be very powerful as the majority of creatures in
this format are either tough beatsticks or are utility creatures with low stat
levels.
2HG: Speed is what you need and this gives you it in
spades; with the right mana base and a health supply of creatures you should be
able to flood the field with a large number of token creatures. Tribal: Goblins will find more use for these than Rogues,
simply because the number of Goblin Rogues is not enough to support this guy’s
ability, though I may be proved wrong. Highlander: I’ve said it once, I’ve said it twice and I’ll
probably say it a handful of times more before the end of the week, but
dependency has no place in Highlander.
Casual – Average Grade: C-
Tribal – Average Grade: C Highlander – Average Grade: D Total Overall Grade: C-
There are definitely some bomb rares in there, and I expect you won’t be able to find a Maralen for sale anywhere following the initial release – I’m not a T2 player, but even I can tell you this is a UB control player’s greatest dream! Well that just about wraps up this review, but before I go I’d like to pose a few questions to you: The Readers. “Was this review layout easy to follow?” Feel free to contact me through any of the following methods:
All comments and opinions expressed would be greatly appreciated and I will always answer any questions you have for me. As always I’m also happy to talk through my thoughts and views on this or any other article with you. As always this is Luthervamplord, Signing Off.
You can discuss this article in the MDV forums
here.
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Casual:
A self-recycling creature is nice, though we have a number of methods that best
this option. He’s an aggressive fellow, though, and his ability to come back
does help in that aspect. 
Casual:
Capable of acting as a blocker in a pinch, this mana producer has some
potential, especially since Black really is lacking mana source creatures. But
seeing as it produces Green mana, why not just run Llanowar Elves?
Casual:
In the right deck, this card could potentially kill any Aggro-based deck before
it gets a chance to build up steam. Having said that, I know that I can get a
better result for cheaper, but the fact this answer is on a creature opens new
possibilities to my inner Combo player.
Casual:
In pretty much the same boat as its Blue counterpart, this card is nice in the
respects that it forces a random discard, but when you follow the mana cost to
outcome ratio, you soon realize this card is not all it claims to be.
Casual:
I would like to say that this card is good, but when I consider it in play I
really can’t agree with that sentiment. Sure you can get to five mana rather
easily in Casual and it’s not that difficult to ensure the top card is a Faerie
and/or Wizard, but all it takes is one Red mana to ruin the whole thing. The
general gist of it is that I can’t really validate this card as a good play
choice.
Casual:
Could have some potential, provided the deck is geared toward same type of
creatures, otherwise there are other cards with better effects out there – Last
Gasp comes to mind especially.
Casual:
This one is a little hard to judge. There are a few Assassins out there and the
ability is interesting if just a touch severe. Removing cards from anywhere is
quite a high price to pay, and for that kind of cost I would expect the target
creature to be removed from play and not simply destroyed. But with a body
comparable to the Guildmages, he’s got a reasonable amount of combat power,
though Shock is still a prime answer here.
Casual:
A two creature swing is a nice effect and the fact you get a flyer is also a
nice touch, but it is a tad to slow for my liking; Dark Banishing still holds
first place in my mind.
Casual:
Goblin Burrows version two is interesting; whilst it will hit play sooner it
costs more to activate for a slightly weaker effect. Since it’s Black though it
can be tallied up against such cards as Gravepact, so I’m convinced that it will
see some active play in my local groups fairly soon.
2HG
– Average Grade: D+
I
must confess, when I had initially seen the preview cards for Morningtide, I had
feared another coming of those power gamers we saw in the age of Mirrodin
*shudder*. But when I sat down and got past the initial shock value of these
cards, I was faced with the fact that there isn’t all there initially seemed to
be.